The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-12
ITS TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY.
The Founding of the German Orphan Asylum
Celebrated with Speeches and Beer.

The twentieth anniversary of the founding of
the German Protestant Orphan Asylum was
observed at the grounds southeast of the city
yesterday in the manner customary heretofore.
In the morning the orphans were escorted from
the city to the home by citizens in carriages.
After music by the city band, and singing by
the children, Rev. j. c. Peters preached short
sermon from the text. "a father of the father
less, and judge of the widows, is God in his
holy habitation." Psalm xviii, 5. After
some Introductory remarks of personal charac
ter and a slight reference to the condition of
the orphans, he said: 1--WE live in
serious time, time of excitement. Unless all
science misleads, we are the eve of great
revolution. The people are in state OF excite
ment. We should propose to solve the social
problem, but how? 1t is not to be solved by
newspaper articles nor by books, but by the ex-
ercise of brotherly love. We should strive to re-
lieve human misery. Christ said: This is my
commandment that ye love one anotherp To
the Orphan society [ would say. go in true
love, and clip the orphans; be to them fathers
and mothers. Act rightly, try always to do
what is just, help the suffering, and let your
battle cry be, God wills it! God wills itp
An excellent dinner was served after the close
of the morning service, and in the afternoon the
programme was continued in the school-room,
on account of the rain. Governor Gray was the
first speaker After ref erring to his i'll health,
he said: ''This is a grand charity. The Ger
mans ought to uphold it and be proud of it. 1t
is credit to our German citizens. 1t shows
the better side of human ity-the godly side. It
is credit to society and to those doing the
work. You get no material compensation here,
but you get it in the consciousness that you are
doing for these children you would have
others do for yours These children will have
every opportunity when they are grown. and
they will look back and say, God bless the
home. / will not detain you longer. I only
desire to attest my appreciation of this noble
work by my presence here. AT any future time
whom it may be desirable will gladly speak
for you. The fact that this is the twentieth
anniversary of this home shows that it is
failure. l am not given to fiattery, but one
thing would say: 1t is characteristic of the
Germans that when they put their shoulders to
thing it is always success"
After more musical entertainment, Prof.
Charles E. Emmerich spoke generally of the
benefits of charity. He said that in this work
difference of religious opinion had effect.
Christian jew, and free-thinker were equally
ton is held on Sunday is involved in the saying
of Jesus that the Sabbath was made for man
and not man for the Sabbath All peoples have
found it advantageous to SET aside one day of
the week for rest, and it makes difference
whether they celebrateit by going to church or
in some other way, so long as they do not tres
pass on the rights of others.
The remainder of the day was occupied by
instrumental and vocal music, and Mr..
Thoms said to a Journal reporter. wine and
beer all you want to drink Mr.. Thoms who
was at the head of the committees was in
state of indignation because the w. c. T. o.
had requested Superintendent Travis to enforce
the liquor law at the grounds. There were four
large bars dispensing wine and beer and a num-
Der of candy and popcorn booths. There
were about twenty policeman the
ground, preserving order. It was esti-
mated that the profits of the days sales
would be about ST. 600. The beer consumed pro-
duced jovial EXPLANATION in many of the men
present but there WAS no obnoxious drunkenness
except the part of fifteen twenty American
boys, half-grown. whose etomachs were proba-
bly, not accustomed to the presence of stimu-
lants None of the stands were leased. They
belonged to the society, and the proceeds are de-
voted to sustaining the home.